SAN FRANCISCO—An audit found that a top city tax official allegedly “abused her authority” to secure a $10 million contract for a firm in which a family friend worked, according to a June 23 statement from the controller’s office.
The San Francisco Office of the Treasurer and Tax Collector was offering the contract to replace a collecting system that manages billions of dollars in business taxes. Former tax office Chief Assistant Treasurer Tajel Shah “bypassed ethics rules and city procurement policies” to steer the contract to the tech company Mechanical Orchard, according to a joint investigation by the Office of the Controller, city services auditor, and the city attorney….